The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to addressing the woodworking industry’s critical skilled worker shortage through the development and assessment of skill standards, will conduct seven sessions to train Accredited Skill Evaluators during the International Woodworking Fair, August 24-27 in Atlanta.​Accredited Skill Evaluators are responsible for assessing and awarding skill stamps to woodworkers participating in the WCA’s Passport credential program. The WCA Passport is a portable, personal, permanent record of skill achievements by the individual holder as a woodworking professional. The WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 240 woodworking machine operations so far.Through cooperation with IWF management, the WCA is offering a “show special” $100 registration fee for the skill evaluator training sessions. The $150 discount is being evenly split by IWF and the WCA.

Individuals interested in participating in one of the three-hour sessions are encouraged to register in advance. Each session will be limited to four participants. The sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon on all four days of the show and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday at the Georgia World Congress Center.

“We are very thankful of IWF’s generous support and willingness to host these training sessions,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “Accredited Skill Evaluators play a crucial role with the WCA Passport program. IWF is providing us with a great opportunity to add new evaluators to the ranks.”

For more information about the WCA’s accredited skill evaluator program visit WoodworkCareerAlliance.org. To register for one of the training sessions, contact Scott Nelson, WCA president, at snelsonwca@gmail.com or phone (402) 610-6043.

In addition to the training sessions, WCA representatives will provide information about the Skill Standards and related Passport program during IWF at booth #4067. Learn more at WoodworkCareer.org.

About the Woodwork Career AllianceThe Woodwork Career Alliance was founded in 2007 as a 501C(3) non-profit corporation and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The WCA’s mission is to develop and administer a unified set of Skill Standards for the wood products industry. Since 2011, WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 240 woodworking machine operations. In addition, WCA has issued over 1,000 Passports, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of achievements as a woodworking professional. More than 125 high schools and post-secondary schools throughout North America are WCA EDUcation® members. To learn more about the WCA and how to get involved with its programs, visit www.WoodworkCareer.org.

Accredited Skill Evaluators who pass muster through the Woodwork Career Alliance’s training regimen are responsible for assessing and awarding skill stamps to woodworkers participating in the WCA’s Passport credential program.